Brucella meningoencephalitis in childhood.
An 11-year-old girl developed a subacute illness characterized by fever, malaise, depression, and meningoencephalitis. The etiology remained elusive until her agglutinin titer against Brucella abortus rose from 1:20 to 1:320. Brucellosis is an uncommon illness in children, an neurological involvement has been described in only ten cases. Brucella meningoencephalitis is characterized by a lymphocytic pleocytosis and elevated protein in the cerebrospinal fluid. Patients respond well to specific therapy; it is important, therefore, to consider the diagnosis of brucellosis in patients with subacute meningitis of unexplained etiology.
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D013752:Tetracycline